Sean Connery’s birthday: 85 facts about ‘Big Tam’

Happy birthday to Sir Sean Connery.

Published:14:02Tuesday 25 August 2015

Think you Dr No everything about one of Edinburgh’s most famous sons? Sir Sean Connery turns 85 today and to celebrate we have put together 85 well-known and perhaps not-so-well known facts about the acting legend. Shhho, without further ado it’s Happy Birthday Big Tam!

1: Thomas Connery was born at 176 Fountainbridge to Euphamia Maclean and Joseph Connery. He has a younger brother, Neil.

Sean Connery in From Russia With Love in 1963

2: His father’s family were from County Wexford in Ireland. His grandfather, Tommy Connery, was a rag and bone man.

3: Young Connery’s mental arithmetic was said to be as good as any bookie.

4: His mother’s family came from Kirkcaldy, where the Connerys would spend holidays.

5: His father worked at the North British Rubber Mill, while Euphamia was a cleaner.

Sean Connery at the premiere of Diamonds Are Forever at the Odeon cinema in January 1972

6: Home was a top-floor flat with a single bedroom, kitchen/living room and outside toilet. It was demolished in the Sixties.

7: He went to Bruntsfield Primary and says learning to read and write aged five was the foundation for his acting career.

8: He turned down Boroughmuir High because rugby was the main sport. Instead he attended Darroch Secondary on Upper Gilmore Street.

9: He joined the Sea Cadets Corps and learned to box.

A school photo with Sean third from right and three rows back

10: He fished at the Union Canal, using Euphamia’s old stockings as a fishing line.

11: He started smoking when he was ten years old.

12: When his school closed during the war, pupils were sent to classes at a Morningside manor house. Connery was refused entry by the “lady” of the house because she recognised him as her milk boy.

13: He left school at 14 to work for St Cuthbert’s Co-operative Society at its Corstorphine Dairy as a barrow worker.

Sean at home in Fountainbridge with parents Euphamia and Joseph

14: He recalled having to push his milk cart pony, Titch, up the icy slope of Dean Bridge.

15: The job was organised through Alex Kitson, a neighbour. He became general secretary of the Transport and General Workers Union.

16: The milk round included Fettes, attended by a young James Bond in one of Ian Fleming’s novels.

17: Connery was 16 when he joined the Royal Navy for seven years.

18: He was discharged aged 19 with a duodenal ulcer.

19: He was awarded a navy pension of six shillings and eight pence a week, around 33p.

Sean in The Man Who Would Be King

20: He returned home with two tattoos, one saying “Scotland Forever” and the other “Mum and Dad”.

21: He worked as a doorman at the Fountainbridge Palais de Danse dance hall and as a brickie.

22: He also trained as a French polisher in Haddington and spent nights sleeping in one of the coffins, apparently to save the bus fare home.

23: The job gave him his first taste of acting as he’d regularly work on the sets at the King’s Theatre.

24: At one point he installed the printing plates on to the presses of the Edinburgh Evening News.

25: He also famously posed as a male model at Edinburgh College of Art. The cash helped pay subscriptions to Dunedin Weightlifting Club.

26: One of the artists there was the one and only Richard Demarco.

27: Connery played football for Fet-Lors, run for the city’s “poorer” citizens by students at Fettes College and Loretto School.

28: He also played for Bonnyrigg Rose and was offered a trial with East Fife.

29: In 1952 he worked at Portobello open air swimming pool as a lifeguard.

30: His physique got him noticed and he was asked to join Anna Neagle at an Empire Theatre production, Glorious Days.

31: She encouraged him to consider an acting career.

32: He entered Mr Universe in 1953, and prepared by sunbathing on Gullane beach.

33: He was dubbed “Mr Scotland” during the competition, and took third place.

34: It led to an audition for a role in a touring production of South Pacific.

35: Connery marked the Drury Lane role by changing his first name to Sean.

36: While on tour he was spotted playing football and reportedly offered the chance to sign for Manchester United.